Drone Takeoff – Beginners Guide To Fly And Not Crash

November 17, 2019

Congratulations on purchasing a
new drone. You’re probably excited about it and can’t wait to get it airborne.
However, it’s important to know the parts of the drone, their functions and how
to fly it to prevent crashes. Here, we have summarised everything you need to
have a great first-time experience flying a drone, so it doesn’t crash. Enjoy!

Read the manual

Like other gadgets, the first
thing to do before flying a drone is reading the instructions in the manual.
It’s vital that you don’t overlook the manual as it designed to help you know
your drone’s physical parts, its flight features and how to get it airborne
without crashing it. Ignoring the manufacturer’s instructions can lead to
problems during flight, so carefully read the instructions.

Charge your quadcopter battery

This might sound obvious, but you
should charge the drone before you take off with it. To prevent complications,
it is recommended that you use the charger and the battery that come with the
quadcopter at all times. If you have problems charging the battery, let the
manufacturer know through any of their contact channels. Also, be sure to
confirm the compatibility of the backup batteries you intend to use, just in
case you have any.

Learn the basic drone controller functions

Generally, drones are controlled
with a transmitter or remote controller, and it’s essential that you know how
to use the handy device. The controls can become advanced as you improve your
skills, but for a start, there are four main controller drone controls: pitch,
roll, yaw and throttle.

• Roll: Pushing the right stick to the right
or to the left makes the quadcopter fly and roll. It is the stick to use when
you want to avoid obstacles like humans, a tree or even a building.

• Pitch: Pushing the right stick forward or
backward makes the quadcopter move forward or backward, and is used for
navigation as well as retreating in potentially dangerous situations.

• Yaw: Pushing the left stick to the right or
to the left rotates the quadcopter clockwise or anticlockwise. It helps to
change the direction of the drone without necessarily moving it away from its
current position.

• Throttle: Pushing the throttle makes your
quadcopter to change the altitudes. It’s usually used with other functions
during flight. You push the stick to the left to engage the throttle and push
it to back to disengage.

Do a pre-flight check

If you already have your drone,
you probably can’t wait to start flying it. However, there are things to check
before you get started. For starters, check to see if the open space you want
to use for practice is free from obstruction like trees, towers, wall and
people. Also, check for wind speed as most quadcopters don’t do too well in windy
situations and put the visibility into consideration too.

Also, confirm if there’s a potential electromagnetic interference and be sure to look for abnormalities on the drone. It is also good to read the laws set for recreational drones.

Position the drone

When you have secured an open
space, the next step is to position the drone according to the instructions in
the manual. Ideally, the drone should be on a flat surface and should be in
front of you, facing the same direction. Don’t attempt anything different until
you have developed your piloting skills and you’re confident even without
positioning it.

Connect the transmitter to the drone

Remember the throttle control?
Yeah, it controls the power the drone needs to get airborne. So push it down, turn
the transmitter on and then insert the battery. This is a crucial order that
must be repeated always – before takeoff and after landing. After landing,
simply reverse the sequence: disconnect the battery and turn off the
transmitter.

Practice takeoff and landing

Now that you’ve come this far,
it’s time to get your drone off the ground. The only control you need to do
this is the throttle; so slowly push it upwards just to watch the drone takeoff
and stop. Repeat this 2-3 times so you can get used to the throttle’s
sensitivity.

To land the drone, simply push the
throttle down slowly to make the landing as smooth as possible. Keep it steady
and slow until it reaches the ground.

Practice hovering

The next thing to learn is how to
hold the quadcopter in a spot during flight. When you’ve taken off with the
drone using the throttle, make tiny adjustments on the left stick (yaw) to hold
it in the air. Doing this requires concentration, and it’s recommended that
while you practice this, keep the drone just a few feet off the ground. Also,
it helps to practice this repeatedly to get the hang of it.

Practice rotating

Rotating is an important manoeuvre
to learn and can be done by pushing the yaw to the left or right during flight
until it rotates to face you. You will need to pay attention to the frame of
the drone as it’s easy to get confused about where its front and back are.

Create a mental image

Finally, to develop your skills,
imagine being a pilot and that you’re in the drone. Professionals do this a lot,
and it helps them become more comfortable with the drone as well as become
acquainted with how it behaves.